Thiruvananthapuram | Senior CPI(M) leader E P Jayarajan on Friday said senior leaders like him should make way for youth and women politicians and help foster a new generation of leadership.

Responding to questions on whether senior leader G Sudhakaran decided to contest the upcoming Assembly election as an independent after the party denied him an electoral opportunity, Jayarajan said each person has different circumstances.

"Every person has different problems and matters. There may be different circumstances. I can only speak about myself now," he said.

Jayarajan also said the CPI(M) would continue to strengthen, as it has increasingly become the people's expectation in India.

Jayarajan said he has no electoral ambitions.

"I became an MLA thrice and a minister once," he said.

Jayarajan added that several youth and women comrades can succeed as leaders like him.

"New people should be groomed, new leadership should emerge, and those who can contribute to governance should be encouraged. For this, people like me should give way, and this is the perspective I follow," he said.

Jayarajan said he and Sudhakaran had worked together in various capacities and that he maintains close relationships with several leaders.

"Renouncing anyone is not the CPI(M)'s approach. Everyone should be brought together because the party should be strengthened," he said.

According to him, the weakening of the CPI(M) would mean the weakening of the progressive movement in India.

"The world is facing the consequences of the destruction of the Soviet Union. See how wars have terrorised the world. Would this happen if the Soviet Union still existed?" he asked.

However, he declined to comment directly on Sudhakaran's decision, saying the question should be asked to him.

Sudhakaran recently decided not to renew his CPI(M) membership and announced that he would contest as an independent candidate from the Ambalapuzha constituency in the upcoming election.